Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Allen watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Jacky Chen follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Holden Scribner watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Tom Coffield lines up a putt during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Chad Scribner follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Matt Orr punches out of a sandtrap during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Clendenen hits a chip shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Ron Moore putts during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

By Josh Brown

jbrown@civitasmedia.com

TROY — Brad Via may have been back at the top of the Championship flight.

But even he couldn’t keep up with the Senior flight’s Jeff Poettinger.

No one could.

Poettinger shot a round-low 5-under-par 67 to take the Senior flight and overall lead, while the tournament’s most dominant champion Via started off with a solid 1-over 73 to claim a two stroke lead in the Championship flight after the first round of the 2016 City Golf Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Poettinger, a former Championship flight winner himself in 1997 and runner-up as recently as 2007 and 2008, shot a consistently low 33-34 to post the best round on the day and lead the Senior flight by six strokes. Joe Goodall sits in second with a 35-38—73, Steve Hagar is in third with 35-40—75 and Tom Marsh (39-37), John Mutschler (35-41) and Mark Allen (38-38) are all tied for fourth with 76. Chris Boehringer (41-40) and Bob Rohr (43-38) are tied for a distant seventh with 81.

Via, meanwhile, returned to the top of the leaderboard with a consistent 37-36—73. Via has won a total of 16 City championships, winning back-to-back years in 2013 and 2014 and winning nine straight from 2003-2011.

Another recent former champion sits in second as Ryan Groff, who won in 2012, shot a 38-37—75, tied with Justin Weber’s 39-36—75. Holden Scribner — who recently shot a 73 to win the 2016 Troy Strawberry Festival Junior Golf Tournament — is in fourth with a 38-38—76, tied with Jacky Chen’s 38-38—76.

Dereck Tubbs (41-36), Andy Pittinger (40-37), Jason Thompson (38-39) and Matt Orr (40-37) are all tied for sixth with 77, Alex Garman sits in 10th with 41-37—78, Marty Stanaford is 11th with 40-39—79, Ray Stuchell (42-38) and Zachary Allen (43-37) are tied for 12th with 80 and Shawn Massie —last year’s champion — is in 14th after a rough day with 42-43—85.

In the Super Seniors flight, Brent Adkins posted an even par 39-33—72 to hold a three-shot lead, with Mike Cargill (38-37), Jim Sarich (38-37) and Rick Szabo (37-38) all tied for second with 75. Gary Weaver is in fifth with 39-37—76, Jim Waters (43-35) and Doug Willoughby (40-38) are tied for sixth with 78, Darrel Tron (41-40) and Allan May (42-39) are tied for eighth with 81, Jim Hoover (44-38) and Barry Willoughby (44-38) are tied for 10th with 82, Ron Kress is in 12th with 44-39—83, Bob Allison is 13th with 44-40—84 and Wayne Crow is 14th with 47-45—92.

Zach Clendenen shot a 38-35—73 to take a four-stroke lead in the First flight over Jim Rohr’s 41-36—77. Chad Scribner is in third with 43-40—83, Ron Moore (44-42) and Tom Coffield (45-41) are tied for fourth with 86 and Matt Olden is sixth with 47-41—88.

In the second flight, Dwight Hughes leads with 43-39—82, Brian Jackson is three shots back in second with 44-41—85, Bill Shattuck is third with 46-44—90, Eric Collier is fourth with 51-41—92 and Craig Mothmiller is fifth with a respectable highest round of the day at 49-44—93, with no one in the field shooting over 100 in the opening round.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Brad Via follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_BradVia.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Brad Via follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Allen watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_ZachAllen.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Allen watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Jacky Chen follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_JackyChen.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Jacky Chen follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Holden Scribner watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_HoldenScribner.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Holden Scribner watches a drive during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Tom Coffield lines up a putt during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_TomCopfield.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Tom Coffield lines up a putt during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Chad Scribner follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_ChadScribner.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Chad Scribner follows through on a shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Matt Orr punches out of a sandtrap during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_MattOrr.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Matt Orr punches out of a sandtrap during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Clendenen hits a chip shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_ZachClendenen.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Zach Clendenen hits a chip shot during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

Anthony Weber/Troy Daily News Ron Moore putts during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.

http://www.tdn-net.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2016/06/web1_160618aw_City_RonMoore.jpgAnthony Weber/Troy Daily News Ron Moore putts during the first round of the 2016 City Championship Saturday at Miami Shores Golf Course.